Psalm 66:18

        “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” Growing up in religion, I was never told that I needed to repent or that the Lord wouldn’t hear me when I prayed. I went to confession on Saturday night and then off to the bar again with my friend. I was like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, covering up my sin with a fig leaf and hiding from God (Genesis 3:6-10). The problem with the fig leaf, it was an irritant and constant reminder of the sin, and God already knew the answer when He asked Adam where he was. God already knew where I was and when the covering of the sin irritated me enough to confess it and forsake it (which, at that time even though I didn’t know the Bible, I knew enough that God didn’t want me where I was), then when confessed my sin and stop doing it, I prayed, and God showed up for me and answered my prayer. This verse takes that to a different level. Regarding iniquity means to self-approve of your wickedness. There is no such thing as secret sin, only you approving what you are doing. God does not listen to us when we don’t listen to Him. Sin needs to be confessed and forsaken (Proverbs 28:13), that’s when we receive mercy and God listens to and even answers our prayers. If prayers aren’t being answered, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what would be iniquity in your heart, then confess and forsake it and return to God, He will hear your prayers again.